Milk barn hears holy discussions

John Sumwalt For Agri-View
Dec 15, 2023
Dec 15, 2023

1 of 6

‘The barn at milking time is a hallowed space where the veil between this world and the eternal is thin,’ John Sumwalt says. -- photo by Andrew John Mueller, date unknown, somewhere in Wisconsin

Wisconsin Historical Society, Image #83468

An orange-and-black tin sign with the declaration, ‘This Farm Uses Farm Master Milking Machine’ is offered for sale on eBay. It includes the Sears & Roebuck pledge of superior quality.

Contributed

A Surge milking machine is like those used in the 1960s on the Sumwalt farm.

Contributed

An antique Farm Master Pulsator is available for $24.99 on eBay. A pulsator is the mechanism on top of the milking-machine bucket that creates the sucking action in teat cups.

Contributed

Loyd Evangelical United Brethren Church is where John Sumwalt received his first communion in 1958 at the age of 7.

Contributed

A 1971 photo of the Sumwalt Family Farm in Richland County, Wisconsin, shows the barn where John Sumwalt milked cows with his dad, Leonard Sumwalt.

Contributed

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

John Sumwalt For Agri-View

I was 7 years old in 1958 – the same age as my grandson, Leonard, is now – when I asked the big Communion question in the barn while helping Dad, the first Leonard Sumwalt, milk cows.

kAms25 2?5 x 2=H2JD E2=<65 H9:=6 H6 H6C6 >:=<:?8] %96C6 :D D@>6E9:?8 9@=J 23@FE E9@D6 <:?5D @7 72E96C\D@?\4@H >@>6?ED] %96 32C? 2E >:=<:?8 E:>6 :D 2 92==@H65 DA246 H96C6 E96 G6:= 36EH66? E9:D H@C=5 2?5 E96 6E6C?2= :D E9:?] %96C6 H2D E:>6[ 36EH66? 4@HD[ 7@C 2 =:EE=6 3@J E@ 2D< 2== E96 3:8 BF6DE:@?D @7 =:76]k^Am

kAm|:=<:?8 H2D D:>A=6C :? E9@D6 52JD] (6 H6C6 @?=J >:=<:?8 23@FE ad 4@HD[ H:E9 EH@ $62CD U2>Aj #@63F4< u2C> |2DE6C >:=<:?8 >249:?6D] $@>6E:>6D s25 H@F=5 6IA=2:? 9@H E96 G24FF> AF>A >256 E96 >:=<6CD H@C<] p?5 :E D66>65 =:<6 96 H2D 2=H2JD 7FDD:?8 H:E9 @?6 @7 E96 AF=D2E@CD – E96 >6492?:D> @? E@A @7 E96 >:=<:?8\>249:?6 3F4<6E E92E 4C62E65 E96 DF4<:?8 24E:@? :? E96 E62E 4FAD] s25 H@F=5 E2<6 :E 2A2CE 2?5 3=@H E96 5FDE @FE E@ <66A :E H@C<:?8] (6 25565 EH@ $FC86 >:=<:?8 >249:?6D :? =2E6C J62CD 2D E96 96C5 8C6H]k^Am

kAmx 42? 3FJ 2? 2?E:BF6 u2C> |2DE6C AF=D2E@C @? 632J ?@H 7@C Sac]hh] p ?:7EJ @C2?86\2?5\3=24< E:? D:8? H:E9 E96 564=2C2E:@? “%9:D u2C> &D6D u2C> |2DE6C |:=<:?8 |249:?6” 8@6D 7@C >@C6 E92? x 42? 277@C5[ E9@F89 x H@F=5 =:<6 E@ 92G6 @?6] xE :?4=F56D E96 $62CD U2>Aj #@63F4< A=6586 @7 DFA6C:@C BF2=:EJ] x H:D9 x 4@F=5 2D< s25 :7 96 925 6G6C D66? @?6 @7 E9@D6] p?5 x H@F=5 2D< :7 96 C6>6>36CD E92E 52J H96? x 2D<65 23@FE 4@>>F?:@?]k^Am

kAm(6 @?=J 925 4@>>F?:@? @?46 6249 BF2CE6C :? E9@D6 52JD] %96 tG2?86=:42= &?:E65 qC6E9C6? r9FC49[ =:<6 E96 |6E9@5:DED H6 >6C865 H:E9 :? `heg E@ 364@>6 E96 &?:E65 |6E9@5:DE r9FC49[ 36=:6G65 E92E 92G:?8 :E >@C6 @7E6? >256 :E =6DD >62?:?87F=] pE =62DE E92E :D H92E E96J 2=H2JD E@=5 >6] x =62C?65 =2E6C E92E :E 925 >@C6 E@ 5@ H:E9 E96 D4965F=6 @7 E96 62C=J 4:C4F:E C:56CD]k^Am

kAm!:@?66C AC62496CD D6CG65 2D >2?J 2D `d @C a_ 49FC496D @? 9@CD6324<j :E E@@< EH@ @C E9C66 >@?E9D E@ >2<6 E96 C@F?5D] q2AE:D> 2?5 4@>>F?:@? D6CG:46D H6C6 96=5 H96?6G6C E96 AC62496C 42>6 E@ E@H?] %96 EC25:E:@? @7 :?7C6BF6?E 4@>>F?:@? DEF4<] }@H :? >@DE @7 @FC &?:E65 |6E9@5:DE 49FC496D :E 92AA6? @?46 6249 >@?E9[ FDF2==J E96 7:CDE $F?52J]k^Am

kAmx C6>6>36C H2E49:?8 A6@A=6 8@:?8 7@CH2C5 $F?52JD E@ <?66= 2E E96 C2:= 7@C 4@>>F?:@?] xE H2D 2 9@=J >@>6?E[ 2?@E96C E9:? A=246] p BF:6E 42=> 6?G6=@A65 2==[ :?4=F5:?8 FD <:5D H9@ H6C6 E@@ J@F?8 E@ 8@ 7@CH2C5] x 7@F?5 >JD6=7 =@?8:?8 E@ 36 :?4=F565] xE H2D 4=62C=J E96 >@DE :>A@CE2?E E9:?8 E92E 92AA6?65 :? 49FC49]k^Am

People are also reading…

County school’s Easter parties created lasting memories
Virtual fence shows potential for producers
Fertilizer prices seasonally higher, rising globally
Couples partner to open Sasquatch Acres farmstand
Farmers visit Mexico ahead of USMCA talks
Defend Digestive Function to Protect Profitability
Brooks Chalky Butte Angus Ranch 2026 Production Sale
Upside Robotics builds robots with sensors to fertilize cornfields in tiny doses
2026 Farm Financial Stability loans overwhelm BND
Nations race to secure enough fertilizer
The sacrifice and perseverance of a ranch woman
EPA allows summer sales of E15 gasoline
Quality data, trust key to AI in agriculture
Eastern Iowa woman drawn to new foods and hobbies
Professional photographer captures unique perspective in life

kAm$@ x 2D<65 s25 E96 3:8 4@>>F?:@? BF6DE:@? E92E 52J :? E96 32C?[ 2D x 7@==@H65 9:> 5@H? E96 5C:G6H2J E@ E96 >:=< 42CE H:E9 E96 E9C66 c_\82==@? >:=< 42?D >2C<65 H:E9 2 C65 ?F>36C bc E@ 5:DE:?8F:D9 E96> 7C@> 2== E96 @E96CD 2E E96 4966D6 724E@CJ] x H2E4965 2D s25 A@FC65 2 `e\BF2CE A2:= @7 >:=< :?E@ E96 DEC2:?6C A@D:E:@?65 @G6C E96 7:CDE 42?[ 2?5 3=FCE65 @FE[ “s25[ H96? H:== x 36 @=5 6?@F89 E@ E2<6 4@>>F?:@?n” w6 =@@<65 2E >6[ D:K:?8 >6 FA[ 2?5 C6DA@?565 :>>65:2E6=J[ “(96? J@F 2C6 @=5 6?@F89 E@ F?56CDE2?5 H92E :E >62?D]”k^Am

kAmx 5@?’E C6>6>36C H92E x D2:5[ 3FE x >FDE 92G6 D2:5 :E C:89E – H9:49 H2D 36EE6C E92? x 5:5 :? D6>:?2CJ a_ J62CD =2E6C – 3642FD6 s25 D2:5[ “*629[ x E9:?< J@F 2C6 C625J]”k^Am

kAm%96 G6CJ ?6IE $F?52J H6 925 4@>>F?:@?[ x 7@F?5 >JD6=7 <?66=:?8 2E E96 C2:= 36EH66? |@> 2?5 s25[ 2?5 C646:G:?8 E96 3C625 2?5 4FA 7C@> @=5 #6G] vFE<?649E] xE E2DE65 D@ 8@@5 2?5 x 76=E D@>6E9:?8 E92E 42? @?=J 36 56D4C:365 2D 2 9@=J AC6D6?46[ E9@F89 x 5:5?’E <?@H H92E E@ 42== :E E96?] s25 2?5 x 925 =@ED E@ E2=< 23@FE :? E96 32C? E92E ?:89E] x H2D ?@E E@ 766= 2?JE9:?8 BF:E6 =:<6 E92E 282:? F?E:= 27E6C @C5:?2E:@? :? `hfg[ H96? x H2D @? E96 @E96C D:56 @7 E96 4@>>F?:@? C2:=]k^Am

kAmx F?56CDE2?5 4@>>F?:@? 5:776C6?E=J ?@H[ 27E6C cd J62CD @7 D6CG:?8] x E9:?< s25 925 :E HC@?8[ E9@F89 96 H2D @? E96 D:56 @7 >@DE E96@=@8:2?D H9@ 92G6 9:DE@C:42==J =2:5 5@H? DEC:4E 8F:56=:?6D 23@FE H9@ 42? C646:G6 4@>>F?:@?[ 2?5 H96?]k^Am

kAmx E9:?< @7 >J &?4=6 |2I {@?8[ H9@ H2D 56G6=@A>6?E2==J 5:D23=65[ 2?5 H9@ =:G65 E@ 36 dg J62CD @=5] w6 ?6G6C 3642>6 “@=5 6?@F89” E@ F?56CDE2?5 E96 >62?:?8 @7 4@>>F?:@?] x 5@F3E 96 H2D 6G6C 4@?7:C>65[ E9@F89 96 H2D AC@323=J 32AE:K65 – @?6 @7 E96 C6BF:C6>6?ED 7@C 4@>>F?:@? :? D@>6 49FC496D] x E9:?< &?4=6 |2I AC@323=J 925 2 36EE6C D6?D6 @7 E96 9@=J – 2 5:D46C?>6?E @7 E96 3@5J @7 r9C:DE[ 2D E96 pA@DE=6 !2F= 42==65 :E – E92? >2?J @7 E96 C6DE @7 FD :? E96 72>:=J H9@ >2EFC65 36J@?5 E96 f\J62C\@=5 >6?E2=:EJ 96 2EE2:?65]k^Am

kAmx H:D9 x 4@F=5 2D< s25 23@FE E92E ?@H] s@ J@F DFAA@D6 E96J 92G6 w@=J r@>>F?:@? :? 962G6?n x :>28:?6 s25 H@F=5 E6== >6 E92E E96 >62?:?8 @7 4@>>F?:@? :D >F49 566A6C E92? x 4@F=5 6G6C :>28:?6]k^Am

kAm|J 4@==628F6 s66? %9@>AD@?[ H9@ H@C<65 2E @FC &?:E65 |6E9@5:DE q@2C5 @7 s:D4:A=6D9:A :? }2D9G:==6[ %6??6DD66[ 7@C >2?J J62CD[ 6IA=2:?D :E E9:D H2J]k^Am

kAm“(96? x D6CG6 49:=5C6?[ 32AE:K65 @C ?@E[ x 2=H2JD D2J[ ‘%2<6 2?5 62E @C 5C:?< 2?5 C6>6>36C v@5 =@G6D J@F[’” 96 D2:5] “|2?J J62CD =2E6C 2E 5:??6C H96? 2D<65 E@ A2DD E96 3C625[ @?6 @7 E9@D6 J@F?8 49:=5C6? C6DA@?565[ ‘%2<6 2?5 62E[ 2?5 C6>6>36C v@5 =@G6D J@F]’”k^Am

kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm%9:D :D 2? @C:8:?2= 2CE:4=6 HC:EE6? 7@C p8C:\':6H[ 2 {66 t?E6CAC:D6D 28C:4F=EFC2= AF3=:42E:@? 32D65 :? |25:D@?[ (:D4@?D:?] ':D:E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^p8C:':6H]4@>Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qmp8C:':6H]4@>k^2m 7@C >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@?]k^DA2?mk^Am

John Sumwalt mug Agri-View — John Sumwalt

John Sumwalt is a retired pastor and the author of “Shining Moments: Visions of the Holy in Ordinary Lives” and “How to Preach the Miracles.” Email johnsumwalt@gmail.com or call 414-339-0676 to reach him.